This invention is in the field of information and communications, and is more specifically directed to improved processes, circuits, devices, and systems for varied levels of security and other information and communication processing purposes, and processes of making them. Without limitation, the background is further described in connection with wireless communications processing.
Wireless communications, of many types, have gained increasing popularity in recent years. The mobile wireless (or “cellular”) telephone has become ubiquitous around the world. Mobile telephony has recently begun to communicate video and digital data, in addition to voice. Wireless modems, for communicating computer data over a wide area network, using mobile wireless telephone channels and techniques are also available.
Wireless data communications in wireless local area networks (WLAN), such as that operating according to the well-known IEEE 802.11 standard, has become especially popular in a wide range of installations, ranging from home networks to commercial establishments. Short-range wireless data communication according to the “Bluetooth” technology permits computer peripherals to communicate with a personal computer or workstation within the same room. Numerous other wireless technologies exist and are emerging.
Security techniques are used to improve the security of retail and other business commercial transactions in electronic commerce and to improve the security of communications wherever personal and/or commercial privacy is desirable. Security is important in both wireline and wireless communications.
Processors of various types, including digital signal processing (DSP) chips and/or other integrated circuit devices are important to these systems and applications. Reducing the cost of manufacture and providing a variety of circuit and system products with performance features for different market segments are important goals in DSPs, integrated circuits generally and system-on-a-chip (SOC) design.
Coassigned U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0025010 of J. Azema, E. Balard, A. Chateau, E. Paksoy, and M. Leclercq, describes a computing platform that binds system firmware to a particular computing platform using a manufacturer certificate. A die identification number associated with an individual device is stored in a fused memory array (eFuse) at the time of manufacture and can be compared with the manufacturer certificate to bind the code to the platform.
In the security area, for instance, a problem arises where a first processor has some features and a second processor has additional operational features plus security features. Unless more alternative products can be economically provided, customers who want the additional operational features may feel compelled to use the security features of the second processor device, whether they want all the security or not. In other words, users want various features of a secure processor but in various market segments where lower security is acceptable. However, providing different software and hardware product releases can increase manufacturing costs unacceptably and pose potential security issues for higher security devices.
Further alternative and advantageous solutions would, accordingly, be desirable in the art.